The funeral will be held in Samarkand on September 3, says an official statement by the Cabinet of Ministers and the parliament read out on national television. Uzbek Prime Minister Shavkat Mirziyoyev has been appointed to chair the commission to organize the funeral of Uzbek President Islam Karimov, says the report.

The funeral will be held in Samarkand on September 3, says an official statement by the Cabinet of Ministers and the parliament read out on national television. Uzbek Prime Minister Shavkat Mirziyoyev has been appointed to chair the commission to organize the funeral of Uzbek President Islam Karimov, says the report.

More:http://tass.com/world/897453

Question for Khepesh, will Russia-Uzbekistani ties improve after this? Karimov was a Kaffka-esque clown show, he's like the secular equivalent of Erdogan, so I'm not too sorry for his death to be honest.

Improve probably, and that Mirziyoev will become president. At this moment the acting president is Chairman of the Senate, Nigmatilla Yuldashev, tho this is because it is what the constitution says, and he is not in the running to become real president. Tho any improvement will not be large and that Uzbekistan's relations with other countries will remain more or less as it is now. This article by editor in chief of "Fergana" Daniil Kislov, dismisses the idea of "clan warfare" between Samarkand and Bukhara, or really any fighting as some are predicting, and that it is in the interests of Russia, neighboring countries and America to preserve the status quo. Of course there is always the possibility of unforseen events and there is no precedent for what happens when new president is needed, so for a few days at least there must be an element of doubt about this all happening peacefully. I will go with what Kislov says as everything he has said since last Sunday has been 100%, and I think that can only be the case if he had a direct line deep into centers of power in Tashkent. https://life.ru/t/мнения/896800/kto_budiet_novym_iurtbashi

Putin: Uzbek people can count on Russia’s supportThe Russia president met with Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev

SAMARKAND, September 6. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that the Uzbek people and the leadership of the republic can count on Russia entirely, as the most reliable friend.

"Of course, we very much hope that all that was established by President Islam Karimov will be continued. We, for our part, are doing everything possible to support this way of our mutual development, to support the people of Uzbekistan, the Uzbek leadership. You can count on us entirely as the most reliable friends", Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

He said that "Islam Karimov has laid a very solid foundation in the relationship between our two countries, built our relationship as strategic partnership."

Vladimir Putin said that during their talks, Islam Karimov, speaking about the prospects of bilateral relations, used to say that the republic’s potential depended on them. "We have always valued this very much", the Russian president said. He added that Russia cherishes relations with Uzbekistan, the ties between the two countries’ peoples and cultures.

The country's parliament has recommended Central Election Commission to set the date for presidential election

TASHKENT, September 8. /TASS/. Uzbekistan’s Prime Minister Shavkat Mirziyoyev has been appointed as the acting president, the republic’s governmental portal said on Thursday announcing a decision approved by the parliament.

"The chambers of Oliy Majlis (Supreme Assembly) passed a joint resolution on temporarily devolving responsibilities and powers of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan to Prime Minister Shavkat Mirziyoyev," the statement said.

The parliament has recommended the Central Election Commission to organize presidential elections in accordance with the country’s law.

Chairman of the Senate Nigmatilla Yuldashev put forward the proposal on Mirziyoyev’s appointment "taking into consideration his experience of many years at the top positions in the state government and administration bodies, and also respect among the population," the statement read.

The heads of factions of political parties, deputies and senators backed the proposal due to "the need to maintain stability, ensure public security and order, and to efficiently solve the most important issues of political, social and economic development of the country in current conditions."Central Election Commission to set presidential election date in coming days

The Central Election Commission (CEC) of Uzbekistan will soon appoint the date of the country’s presidential election, a CEC representative told TASS on Thursday.

"We will certainly in the coming days hold a meeting and determine the date of the early election of a new head of state in connection with the death on September 2 of the first President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov", the source said. "In accordance with the law, the election must be held within three months", he added.

Uzbekistan’s first President Islam Karimov died after suffering a stroke at the age of 78 on September 2.

Islam Karimov was born on January 30, 1938 in Samarkand, a city in eastern Uzbekistan. Karimov had ruled Uzbekistan since 1989, when he became the First Secretary of the republic’s Communist Party. In March 1990, he became the first president of the republic. In 1991, Karimov won the first presidential election in Uzbekistan and served as president for five years. He retained his top post following nationwide referendums in 1995 and 2002, and after direct elections in 2000, 2007 and 2015.

Karimov is one of the longest-serving presidents in the former Soviet states. He remained in power for 26 years. In addition, the president was awarded the title Hero of Uzbekistan. Karimov is also a doctor of science and an honorary academic at many educational institutions and establishments throughout many foreign countries. He is the author of books on Uzbekistan’s political and economic development. His works, statements and texts of his speeches were published in a ten-volume book.

Big country, biggish population, natural resources+potential for growth.But a fuck up with the Aral Sea. Too many radical Islamists. And no Ukraine in the Eurasian Union to balance out a potentially high number of potentially v radical Muslims.

I wonder if a)Eurasian Union integration will happen. And b)would it be desired by Russia and the other Eurasian U members?

Personally, I think it could be a good idea. But being balanced by some more Christian nations would be desirable.

Russia needs to meddle and hard in Uzbekistan to prevent the US and its minions from creating another Wahabbi nest designed todisrupt Russia. Even if this means invasion, Russia should do it. Let NATO and its propaganda orifices spew all the hate they want.Anybody with a functional brain should be discounting their rabid hypocrisy.

On Monday, Uzbekistan’s Central Electoral Commission published the election results, which revealed that Mirziyoyev had garnered 88.61% of the votes

TASHKENT, December 5 /TASS/. Uzbekistan’s President-elect Shavkat Mirziyoyev, speaking in Russian, thanked international observers from over 40 countries for monitoring yesterday’s presidential election held in the Central Asian country.

"I would like to thank the monitors and prominent international organizations for actively participating and monitoring the elections and also for their great attention to democratic transformations in Uzbekistan," Mirziyoyev said in a speech delivered at a ceremony at the Uzexpocentre on Monday.

Over 5,000 people carrying national flags and symbols of the Liberal Democratic Party had assembled to greet the newly-elected president.

On Monday, Uzbekistan’s Central Electoral Commission published the election results, which revealed that Mirziyoyev had garnered 88.61% of the votes.

Shavkat Mirziyoyev was born on July 24, 1957 to a family of a TB doctor in the Zaamin township in Soviet Uzbekistan.

In 1981, he graduated from the Tashkent Institute of Irrigation and Melioration (now the Tashkent Institute of Irrigation and Mechanization of Agriculture). He holds a PhD in Technological Sciences. In 1981-1992, Mirziyoyev worked at the Tashkent Institute of Irrigation and Melioration.

In 1990, Mirziyoyev was elected deputy of the Supreme Soviet of Uzbekistan;

In 1994, he became a deputy of the country’s new parliament (Oliy Majilis). He was re-elected to Oliy Majilis in 1999.

In 1992, Mirziyoyev became the administration chief of the Mirzo-Ulugbek district of Tashkent. In 1996-1999, he was the administrative head of the Dzhiazsky region of Uzbekistan. In 2001-2003, he headed the Samarkand region of Uzbekistan.

On December 11, 2003, the Uzbek parliament appointed Mirziyoyev the country’s prime minister. He was re-appointed to that post another three times. A year later, Mirziyoyev became a member of the Political Council of the UzLiDeP pro-government party, which was created in Uzbekistan in 2004.

Mirziyoyev became Uzbekistan’s acting president after President Islam Karimov’s had passed away this past September.

MOSCOW, April 5. /TASS/. The bilateral trade and economic ties between Russia and Uzbekistan have intensified, and in some sectors see a remarkable increase in turnover, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

Putin noted that the documents prepared for this visit indicate a new step in the development of relations between the two countries. He added that with Mirziyoyev as the President of Uzbekistan, "We are witnessing our trade and economic ties intensifying, and we have always paid special attention to it." "It should be noted that in general we keep the trade turnover at a high level. In some positions it grows in a remarkable manner," the President said.

In particular, Putin talked about light industry and the agro-industrial complex. "Trade turnover in agriculture has more than doubled," the Russian leader said.

According to Putin, the countries maintain a constant dialogue at the political level, and develop relations in the sphere of security. "Uzbekistan's position in the region is very important to us, keeping in mind the tensions that somehow affect us from neighboring countries, primarily from Afghanistan," he said.

"We are very pleased that you have found an opportunity to visit Russia," Putin told Mirziyoyev in the beginning of the meeting. Putin also noted that the documents prepared for this visit speak of a serious new step in the development of relations between the two countries.

According to the materials prepared for the meeting, imports of Uzbek fruit and vegetable products to Russia in 2016 grew by 92% (to $114.2 mln) in value terms, and 2.3-fold in physical terms (to 142,800 tonnes). In general, in physical volumes, the Russian-Uzbek trade turnover grew by 1% last year (while Russian exports slightly decreased, imports from Uzbekistan increased by 55.4%). In terms of value, the trade turnover between the two countries declined by 3.9% in 2016 to $2.726 bln.

Russia and Uzbekistan are negotiating a large package of contracts for the purchase of weapons

As Ivan Safronov and Alexandra Djordjevic write in the article "The list that fills the imagination", published in today's issue of the newspaper Kommersant, Uzbekistan has decided on the types of weapons and military equipment that it would like to acquire in Russia. Interest concerns both armored vehicles and ammunition, as well as Su-30SM fighters. However, according to Kommersant's information, Uzbekistan's requests do not match its financial capabilities - despite the fact that it is unprecedented for the country - not a CSTO member - to pay for weapons and equipment at domestic prices.

The sources in the sphere of military-technical cooperation (MTC) told that Kommersant has determined the main types of weapons and military equipment that Russia would like to acquire in Russia. According to them, the list includes, in particular, combat and military transport helicopters, armored vehicles, small arms and ammunition. There is interest in the Su-30SM multifunctional fighters. "In August, a delegation of high-ranking Uzbek siloviki visited the Irkutsk Aircraft Building Plant, where it got acquainted with its production facilities," one of Kommersant's sources said. "They were pleased to see it." And on September 20, Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev discussed the prospects of military-technical cooperation at a meeting with the Security Council Secretary under the President of Uzbekistan Viktor Makhmudov. The details of the meeting were not disclosed, however, according to Kommersant's information, the sides touched upon the issue of repairing military equipment that Tashkent inherited after the collapse of the USSR and in need of it (for example, T-62 and T-72 tanks to T-62M and T-72B3 or helicopters of type "Mi").

The cooperation between Moscow and Tashkent in the arms sector is rather modest: according to a source from Kommersant close to the RF Ministry of Defense, up to 2005, separate deliveries of BTR-80, Mi-8 helicopters, various caliber, grenade launchers with ammunition, and sniper weapons were conducted. Subsequently, the Uzbek security forces' interest was limited to supplies of ammunition (both rifle and artillery), as well as explosives, Kommersant's source continues: "They (explosives) were needed for special forces of state security agencies, which needed to penetrate into premises for the liquidation of a potential threat ". Russia and Uzbekistan did not conclude larger contracts.

The situation changed after the death of Uzbek President Islam Karimov. Already with his successor Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the military departments of the two countries signed on November 29, 2016 an agreement on the development of military-technical cooperation. In April 2017, the parties ratified the treaty: during the international conference on security, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu exchanged his letters with his Uzbek counterpart Kabul Berdiyev.

The terms of this treaty are "unprecedented," sources in the MTC say in the field of military-technical cooperation: Uzbekistan gets the same privileges with Russia's CSTO partners. In particular, the Uzbek military and other siloviki got the right to buy weapons and special equipment not for commercial but at domestic prices (for example, according to this scheme, Kazakhstan purchases Russian Su-30SM fighters). "This was done because Moscow wanted to attract Tashkent for geopolitical reasons and decided to give preferences equal to those of the CSTO member countries," one of the interlocutors said. Another source specifies that, coupled with the threat emanating from Afghanistan, the Russian negotiators expected that Uzbekistan would become "more compliant". However, this has not happened yet: according to him, before the conclusion of contracts, even under such a scheme "it is still very far". "Now they have a rather large list of desires, it greatly exceeds their capabilities and needs, but there is no guarantee that at least some of this will be acquired," the source of Kommersant believes.

Recall that in April, Deputy Director of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation Vladimir Drozhzhov reported that Moscow and Tashkent are discussing the establishment of service centers in Uzbekistan to service military equipment and weapons. According to Kommersant's information, Russia expected that the Uzbek Su-25 attack aircraft (eight units) and the MiG-29 fighters (eight cars) awaiting repair would be modernized at the enterprises of the Russian aviation industry. However, according to Kommersant's information, even after signing the agreement, the Uzbek military preferred the first shipment of cars (four each) to Russia, not to Russia, and to Belarus to the 558th aircraft repair plant (Baranovichi). This step caused "some kind of bewilderment on the part of the Russian side," says the interlocutor in the sphere of military-technical cooperation: "We took a huge step forward, we did not feel a response yet."

Yesterday, the Federal Service for Military Technical Cooperation refrained from commenting on "Kommersant".

A joint Russian-Uzbek tactical exercise begins at the Forish military range

TASHKENT, October 3. /TASS/. A joint Russian-Uzbek tactical exercise started on Tuesday at the Forish military range in the mountains of Uzbekistan’s Jizzakh region, sources from the Russian Embassy in Tashkent said on Tuesday.

"The exercise takes place within the framework of the agreements reached during a state visit of the Uzbek president to Moscow on April 4-5, 2017," they said. According to the embassy, on Monday a military-transport aircraft of the Russian Defense Ministry airlifted Russian military to the Uzbek capital.

The Russian team includes an operational group from the headquarters of the Central Military District and units of a mountain motorized rifle brigade stationed in Russia’s Tuva republic.

The military of the two countries are expected to simulate a joint operation to fight terrorist groups and will also train practical skills of blocking and destroying illegal armed groups in the mountains.

The Forish ground is located 250 kilometers from Tashkent on the northern slopes of the Nuratau ridge at an altitude of 2,169 meters above sea level. The joint military drills are taking place after a 12-year break. The previous exercise bringing together Russian and Uzbek military was held there in 2005.

Russia, Uzbekistan agree on mutual use of airspace by military aircraft

The agreement will also allow both countries to promptly resolve the issues of military cargo carriages and military transport planes to make non-stop flights

TASHKENT, October 12. /TASS/. Russian and Uzbekistani Defense Ministers Army General Sergei Shoigu and Major-General Abdusalom Azizov have signed an agreement on the mutual use of the airspace by military aircraft, TASS reports from the scene.

The agreement will also allow both countries to promptly resolve the issues of military cargo carriages and military transport planes to make non-stop flights.

The defense ministers of both countries also signed a plan of the ministries’ cooperation for 2019.